The efforts to keep Shdema, a former army base between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion, in Jewish hands have scored a very small victory – and the fight continues.
It was learned this week that the Civil Administration informed Palestinian Authority elements that they must amend their construction plans for Shdema, and not include the hilltop in their program. The Jewish groups that have tenaciously retained a hold on the Shdema hilltop for 16 months are far from satisfied, however; they demand that the Arabs not be allowed to build at all in the area, which the Oslo Accords regard as Area C – i.e., under full Israeli military and administrative control.
In a letter on the topic to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the Shdema pioneers, led by The Committee for a Jewish Shdema and Women in Green, ask that he act to ensure that Shdema remain in Jewish hands. They also place the blame for the entire blockage of Jewish growth in Judea and Samaria on the shoulders of one man: Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
The letter to Netanyahu, addressed to “Our Prime Minister,” reads as follows:
On the eve of your trip to Europe, we wish to draw your attention to the struggle that is taking place at Shdema, very close to Har Homa - a neighborhood that was established in southern Jerusalem, thanks to you and your firm stand on the Jewish People's right to build in the Land of Israel.For information on activities at Shdema, click here.The story of Shdema encapsules the problematic Eretz [Land of] Israel reality. What happens in Shdema is happening in all the areas of Judea and Samaria, and is indicative of a very grave problem: the policy of surrender and concessions conducted by a single individual: Ehud Barak.
Shdema is a hill with a military camp located on the outskirts of Bethlehem, 5 kilometers from Har Homa (Jerusalem), and 8 kilometers from Tekoa in eastern Gush Etzion. It was abandoned three years ago by the IDF, and is in Israeli-controlled Area C.
Arabs Build Without Permit
The Beit Sahur municipality [Arab] submitted a request to the Minister of Defense to build a park and hospital on the entire area of the camp. The request is on Ehud Barak's desk; permission has still not been granted. This did not stop the Arabs of Beit Sahur, with the encouragement and funding of European organizations and USAID, from building an entire complex of structures and installations for various activities on the northern area of the camp, at the foot of the hill. In a report that appeared in the Jerusalem Post two weeks ago, USAID admits to have mistakenly contributed to the illegal Arab construction in Shdema. The Arabs are not satisfied with that. They want to erect a hospital on the rest of the area of Shdema.It is interesting that the Arabs want to build specifically in Shdema, when around Shdema, the Arabs control tens of thousands of dunams in Area A [under full Palestinian Authority control], on which they can establish a hospital and whatever they wish. But no; they insist on taking over our Area C, the minuscule area in the region that belongs to Gush Etzion.
A year and a half ago, we established the Committee for Jewish Shdema. Since then, every week, we have been conducting activities at Shdema (lectures, concerts, exhibitions, classes) to demonstrate a Jewish presence and safeguard the site. If not for the activity by the Committee for Jewish Shdema, in cooperation with the Gush Etzion Regional Council and with the support of Women in Green, the entire area of the camp would have already been in the hands of the Arabs.
Keep Shdema Jewish!
Our natural and simple demand is that the entire Shdema hill (Area C) remain in the hands of the State of Israel and the people of Israel.Shdema is situated in an extremely strategic location, enabling Jewish contiguity between Jerusalem and eastern Gush Etzion, and providing security for those traveling on the eastern Gush Etzion road. The IDF is aware of the strategic need for Shdema, but Ehud Barak's political considerations apparently overweigh Israel's national and security considerations, and endanger our continued control of Shdema.
We alerted the IDF that the Arabs are building at the bottom of the hill without permits, and that they are taking control of Area C. The subcommittee of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, which has already visited Shdema twice, specifically ordered that the transfer of Shdema to Arab hands be prevented. Coalition chairman and subcommittee chairman MK Ze'ev Elkin demanded that the brigade commander and the Civil Administration not allow the Arabs to continue building and using the structures.
Despite the above, and despite the stop-work orders and demolition orders, the Arab construction continued, and still continues…
Enforcing the 'Law' Only Against Jews
In contrast, enforcement of the ‘law’ against the activities of the Committee for Jewish Shdema continues in full severity. Except for permission to stay at the site for a few hours once or twice a week, we are not permitted to renovate the site in a serious way or to remain there on a permanent basis.This week, we were informed that the building plans submitted by the Arabs for the construction of a hospital on the entire hill were returned to them by the Civil Administration. They were asked to amend the plan, and to remove the area of the top of the hill from their plans, because of the IDF's operational needs. This area of the hill [that is to remain Jewish] is minuscule, and if, Heaven forbid, it will be surrounded by Arab construction, we will lose that small area as well. (Attached is a letter by Shaul Goldstein, the head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, warning of this.)
One Man is Responsible: Ehud Barak
The situation at Shdema reflects the harsh reality throughout the Land of Israel – a reality in which Arabs, funded and helped by international organizations, take over our land, and the Israeli authorities do not stop them – while on the other hand, Jews are not allowed to build anything because one man, Ehud Barak, refuses to give his signature...* It is inconceivable that the policy of a minority party [Labor, headed by Barak] will lead to the transfer of the Jewish People’s national assets to the Arab enemy!
* It is inconceivable that the legality or illegality of an area, activity, outpost, or structure would be dependent on Ehud Barak's signing or not signing his approval!
* It is inconceivable that basic powers pertaining to the existence of the people of Israel and the State of Israel will be exclusively in the hands of Ehud Barak!
Mr. Prime Minister, we appeal to you to apply all your national and Zionist influence so that the minority position among the people will not be decisive – and that instead, the policy of the majority, which you represent, will lead the way. The majority of the people voted for a policy of safeguarding Eretz Israel. The majority of the people understands hat, without Eretz Israel, without the actual territory, without the earth under our feet, we will be in retreat from our spiritual and strategic assets, and we will not be able to survive.
Shdema is a microcosm of what is happening throughout Eretz Israel. Restoring Shdema to Jewish hands and to full Israeli control will deliver a clear message that the Nation of Israel is safeguarding its homeland.
With the blessing of building, growth, and strengthening throughout Eretz Israel,
The Committee for a Jewish Shdema and Women in Green
